In one of the fastest reversals in Georgia’s educational history, the state’s Superintendent, Richard Woods, decided Wednesday (July 24) to walk back his original decision preventing state-wide funding for Advanced Placement African American Studies Programs (AP Af-Am).

This decision comes following multiple protests after Woods told Georgia school districts just the day before that if they wanted to keep AP Af-Am in schools, they would need to find a way to fund it themselves.

In his original statement, Woods said the state would only provide funding to schools if they use a course code from 2020 — a course that did not qualify for AP credit. Many advocates of the AP Af-Am course said Woods’ refusal to fund the AP course would suppress teaching about Black history.

Backlash from community leaders and school districts quickly followed Woods’ Wednesday announcement. The original decision to pull funding came only days before Georgia schools are set to open for the school year. Outraged educators called Woods’ move a waste of time and money, according to 11 Alive.

Multiple districts fought back in protest. Atlanta Public Schools (APS) immediately announced they would pay for the course without state help, but for lesser funded districts like Gwinnett County, things were still up in the air.

In a statement by an APS spokesperson, the district said it “will provide the course to students with local funds. AP African-American Studies will continue to count for credit toward graduation. This district is committed to providing rigorous instruction that helps our students become globally-minded citizens.”

The Georgia Association of Educators said the state’s choice to pull funding was disappointing, especially when measured “against the backdrop of the approval of the AP European History class,” reported WSB-TV.

Even the state’s Gov. Brian Kemp sent a letter to Woods questioning his decision to pull funding. The letter, obtained by Fox News, emphasized his office held no real stake in the Department of Education’s decision, but Kemp listed several questions for Woods to answer.

States like Florida and South Carolina have banned AP Af-Am from being taught in public schools, but fortunately, Georgia has not joined that short list.

In reaction to Woods’ reversal, Georgia Rep. Dr. Jasmine Clark said in a statement, “This shows the power of the voices of the people!” She continued saying the “reversal, on principle, is great, and honors the fact that this course should have never been on the chopping block in the first place.”

Going forward, school districts will receive funding from the state to use the new AP Af-Am Studies course rather than paying for it out of pocket. This is a win for Black students hoping to study their history on a deeper level.

Georgia’s Superintendent of Schools seemingly reversed course Wednesday following backlash over the state’s refusal to provide funding for a new Advanced Placement class in African American Studies.

In a statement, Richard Woods said that the state will provide funding to districts that use a course code that has been in the catalog of state-funded courses since 2020.

“Districts using this course code will receive state funding,” he said. “Should districts choose to do so, they may teach some or all of the standards in the AP African American Studies course using this code (and students may take the associated AP exam).”

The course previously did not qualify for Advanced Placement (AP) credit.

Woods’ remarks followed complaints from advocates who said that the state’s refusal to fund an AP course would suppress teaching about Black history. Florida and Arkansas have adopted similar restrictions on courses in AP African American Studies.

State Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn, who had called out Woods, said Thursday that his “reversal, on principle, is great, and honors the fact that this course should have never been on the chopping block in the first place.”

She said allowing districts to use an already-existing course code is a “workaround solution.”

“I am meeting with the [Department of Education] this morning to confirm that with this workaround, students taking this course will receive the same GPA quality points as their peers in other AP courses. Since this course is a college-level course, there must be parity between this course and all other AP offerings,” she said.

The State Board of Education, appointed by the governor, has to approve a class before it can be eligible for state funding, which helps pay for class materials and a teacher’s salary. Woods had decided he wouldn’t recommend approval of the class to the board but did not say why.

In his statement Wednesday, Woods said when he reviewed the course he “had concerns about the state endorsing the totality” of it.

“It’s my position that districts should use the existing course code — which offers them the flexibility to develop their own curriculum based on local priorities, or to use standards from the AP course if they choose and in consultation with their communities,” he said.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 33 Georgia schools piloted an African American Studies course, said Sara Sympson, a spokesperson for the College Board, a nonprofit testing entity.

Advanced Placement courses are offered by the College Board across the academic spectrum, including in math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional and taught at a college level, allowing students who score well on a final exam to earn college credit while still in high school.

An Amazon driver was caught speeding down a Georgia sidewalk in a shocking disregard for the law captured on video and uploaded to TikTok.

The driver may have been trying to live up to the company slogan “ETA: Right now” sprawled across the Prime delivery truck, as seen in the clip.

A passenger in a passing car filmed the unbelievable off-course driving on Friendship Road in Flowery Branch on July 14, according to Storyful.

The delivery driver was going about 35 miles per hour on the pedestrian path, the TikToker who captured the video estimated.

The employee has since been let go by the e-commerce giant.

“This was reckless and unacceptable behavior. We’ve investigated the incident and this driver is no longer delivering packages on behalf of Amazon,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to the outlet.

The Post has reached out to the company.